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Dorian Johnson, the man whose eyewitness account of Michael Brown’s 2014 death helped ignite nationwide protests against police brutality, was shot and killed in Ferguson, Missouri.
On Sunday (September 7), Johnson, 33, was shot at roughly 8:30 a.m. in a residential area, according to KSDK. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
According to St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith, the shooting appears to have stemmed from a domestic dispute. The alleged shooter claimed self-defense and was taken into custody, but released after 24 hours when no charges were filed.
“The investigation remains active,” Smith said. “The Ferguson Police Department is engaged in ongoing consultation with the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office regarding possible criminal charges. We will announce any charging decisions made regarding this matter of evident public interest.”
Johnson was among the witnesses of the fatal police shooting of Brown, an 18-year-old Black teen, in Ferguson on August 9, 2014. Johnson had been walking with Brown when they were confronted by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, who told them to move to the sidewalk before blocking their path with his vehicle.
A U.S. Department of Justice investigation found that Brown and Wilson struggled through the window of Wilson’s vehicle before Brown ran. Johnson maintained that Brown later stopped, turned to face Wilson with his hands raised, and said, “Don’t shoot!” before being killed. His account inspired the protest chant heard across the nation: “Hands up, don’t shoot!”
Other witnesses claimed Brown was moving toward the officer when Wilson fired 10 shots. Wilson later said he feared for his life and thought Brown, who was unarmed, might have had a weapon.
The shooting, along with the grand jury's decision not to indict Wilson, sparked days of unrest in Ferguson and fueled a national movement calling for police accountability and reform.
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